All About Your Breast Augmentation: A Three Part Series

It is easy to get overwhelmed as you go about the initial steps of your breast augmentation. Choosing between saline and silicone can be one of the most confusing and difficult decisions that a woman will make. Neither saline nor silicone is better than the other, and ultimately, the implant that you choose is dependent on what you hope to achieve from your breast augmentation.

Look and Feel of Saline & Silicone Implants

When properly placed, both saline and silicone implants can give you a natural look. However, Dr. Kramer reminds us that, “most people agree that silicone implants feel more natural than saline.” Made of a cohesive gel, silicone implants are able to more closely mimic the weight and suppleness of a woman’s natural breast than is possible with the liquid state of a saline implant.

Incisions & Scarring with Breast Implants

After discussing the pros and cons of each incision type, Dr. Kramer will decide upon an incision method, generally using either an inframmary incision (made beneath your breast within your breast fold), or a periareolar incision (outlining the areola). Because saline implants can be filled post-insertion, the incision is generally shorter than that of silicone implants. Understanding that all women want the smallest incision possible, Dr. Kramer uses the Keller Funnel®. Specially designed for inserting silicone implants, the Keller Funnel allows for a smaller incision protecting the implant as it is inserted.

Safety of Breast Implants

“Both silicone and saline implants are FDA approved,” points out Dr. Kramer. Once questioned for their safety, silicone implants underwent 14 years of rigorous testing—during which, researchers found that silicone implants are just as safe as saline implants. Silicone’s popularity is evident that in 2015, 80 percent of all breast augmentations were performed with silicone implants.

“In our practice, we do over 95% silicone implants with a wide range of breast types and tissues—our patients have been extremely satisfied with their results.” –Dr. Kramer

Dr. Kramer’s Implant of Choice

Dr. Kramer has used implants from all three of the implant manufacturers. More recently, the two he most commonly uses are by Mentor® and Sientra®—depending on the type and dimensions needed. The Sientra implant is a good implant with unique advantages, including being more cohesive with a higher fill ratio, which translates to less rippling and a firm, yet supple and natural youthful feel. Of course, no advice is better than that of a board certified plastic surgeon. Please schedule a consultation with Dr. Kramer to better understand if a saline or silicone implant will help you best achieve your breast augmentation goals. Stay Tuned! Make sure to check out parts II & III of our All About Your Breast Augmentation series in the coming months!